Keywords

just culture, Just Culture Assessment Tool for Nursing Education (JCAT-NE), nursing education, patient safety

 

Authors

  1. Walker, Danielle PhD, RN, CNE
  2. Altmiller, Gerry EdD, APRN, ACNS-BC, FAAN
  3. Hromadik, Lora PhD, RN
  4. Barkell, Nina MSN, RN, ACNS-BC
  5. Barker, Nancy EdD, RN
  6. Boyd, Teri EdD, MNSc, RN
  7. Compton, Michelle MSN, RN
  8. Cook, Pamela MSN, RN
  9. Curia, Marianne PhD, MSN, RN
  10. Hays, Deana DNP, FNP-BC
  11. Flexner, Randi DNP, APN, RN
  12. Jordan, Janet MSN, RN
  13. Jowell, Vicki MSN, RN, RN-BSN
  14. Kaulback, Michelle EdD, RN, FNP-BC
  15. Magpantay-Monroe, Edna EdD, APRN
  16. Rudolph, Bethany MSN, RN
  17. Toothaker, Rebecca PhD, RN
  18. Vottero, Beth PhD, RN, CNE
  19. Wallace, Sharon PhD, RN, CCRN-K

Abstract

Background: While just culture is embraced in the clinical setting, just culture has not been systematically incorporated into nursing education.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess prelicensure nursing student perceptions of just culture in academia.

 

Methods: Following a quantitative, descriptive design, the Just Culture Assessment Tool for Nursing Education (JCAT-NE) was used to measure just culture across multiple (N = 15) nursing programs.

 

Results: The majority of JCAT-NE respondents (78%) reported their program has a safety reporting system, 15.4% had involvement in a safety-related event, and 12% submitted an error report. The JCAT-NE mean total score was 127.4 (SD, 23.6), with a statistically significant total score decline as students progressed from the beginning (133.6 [SD, 20.52]) to the middle (129.77 [SD, 23.6]) and end (122.2 [SD, 25.43]) of their programs ([chi]2[2] = 25.09, P < .001).

 

Conclusions: The results from this study are a call to action for nursing education to emphasize the tenets of just culture, error reporting, and quality improvement.